St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-22
The Co arts Trying to Settle
the Transfer of an Al
legged Coal Field.
Once Again There are Threat
enings that the Capitol
Will Come Down.
Arguments in the Supreme
Court Over the Celebrated
Crossing" Case.
Summary of the News of a
Single Day Gathered From
Many Sources.
TO SETTLE A BIG DEAL.
A Suit Resulting From the Sale Of
Alleged Coal Land in Iowa.

There is a pretty big case on trial in
the district court before Judge Brill,
which may take several days to get in
all the testimony and argument. 1t is
an action brought by the administrators
of the estate of the late Judge W. w.
McNair, of Minneapolis, and others
against the Clyde Coal company, j. j.
Hill. its president, Hamilton Browne.
its vice president. and the st. Paul
Trust company The plaintiffs include
a number of prominent men of Mime
apolis. some of them late officers Of the
company. They are eX-Congressman
W. d. Washburn. Hon. c. II. Petit,
Hon. Eugene NJ. Wilson, John NJ. Cur
tiss, William d. Hale, late secretary
and treasurer of the company. John
Martin, Jacob K. Side, Edward W.
Gaylord and Mrs. ". W. McNair. The
suit is brought to reScind the sale of
500 shares of stock in the company,
which plaintiffs allege defendants in
duced them to take by false representa-
lions.
The Clyde Coal company was organ
ICED by j. J. Hill. Hamilton Browne and
others to work 1,560 acres of land in
Iowa. which. it is said, had been pur-
chased for S27O,G0O. They charge De-
PENDANTS Hill and Browne with falsely
representing that there was coal vein
four feet thick running all through the
land. and that such coal deposit made
the plant worth easily 100000.
The plaintiffs claim that the stock OF
the Clyde Coal company at any time
previous to the transaction in dispute
amounted to only 800 shares at 500, and
that in order to increase the stock and
induce the sale of the 1,500 shares to
plaintiffs, Defendants Hill and Browne
doomed the thing and on Oct. 80, 1884,
succeeded in selling 1,500 shares of
par value of Sl50.OOO for Sl25,0O0 to
plaintiffs. Plaintiffs paid down $4,000
at the time of the transaction and S15,-
600 on Jan. 10, 1885, the balance being
SECURED BY NOTES
executed and delivered to Mr.. Hill, and
the stock thus purchased being de-
posted with the st. Paul Trust COM
pany to secure the notes. Upon at
tempting to work the big coal mine the
plaintiffs found that it was practically
worthless or at least losing game, as
the vein nowhere showed thickness
exceeding twenty-one inches. and that
they had been r0ped in as suckers in
the deal. In October the directors OF
the coal company resigned and ten
defeq Dack 10 MI. dlH Ine SUCK
they held, demanding the return
of their money and the notification of
the contract of sale. An agreement for
an amicable adjustment was entered
into, and none of the parties were to
commence legal proceedings, but some
of the plaintiffs discovered that the st.
Paul Trust company was about to sell
the stock to innocent and lInSuSpecting
third parties, and that if such was done,
the plaintiffs would also be responsible
for it. Plaintiffs now ask that the con-
tract for the purchase of the stocks be
set aside by the court, that an account
ing be had, that the notes given by
plaintiffs be returned, that they get
Judgment for S150.000 against Hill and
Browne, and that an injunction be issued
restraining the st, Paul Trust company
from selling the stock and the Clyde
Coal company from transferring the
same on its book. Clark. Eller q How.
and C. n. Ball, appear for Hill and
Browne, and Harvey Officer for the st.
Paul Trust company.